By John Pye
Alastair Cook posted his third hundred of the series after getting another reprieve against Michael Beer on 99 to move England within three runs of Australia's first innings total on day three of the fifth Ashes test.
The 26-year-old opener has plundered the Australian bowling attack for more than 707 runs, averaging more than 140, in the series and surpassed 5000 career test runs as he scored an unbeaten 130 and guided England to 277-5 at lunch Wednesday.
He shared an unbroken 51-run stand with No. 6 Ian Bell, who was 20 not out at the break.
Australia picked up two wickets in the session, with Peter Siddle bowling night watchman Jimmy Anderson (7) and left-arm spinner Beer, after two false starts, claiming his first when Paul Collingwood (13) stepped down the pitch to him and lofted a catch to Ben Hilfenhaus at mid-on.
But it wasn't enough as the overcast conditions of the first two days gave way to a mild, sunny day.
Cook has been the backbone of a top-order which has given England some excellent starts in the series and was crucial in giving the visitors an unbeatable 2-1 lead, ensuring they'll retain the Ashes. Australia needs to win to level the five-match series, and prevent England winning a test series on Australian soil for the first time since 1987.
Cook's innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground wasn't without its scares.
The left-hander survived two confident appeals from Beer on 46 and 99.
Cook was four runs short of a half century when he appeared to be caught out off Beer's bowling late on the second day, only for umpire Billy Bowden to refer the decision to the TV umpire, suspecting a no-ball. The third
umpire confirmed Beer had overstepped the crease, and Cook survived to bring up his 50 in the next over.
On 99, he clipped a Beer delivery to bat-pad, where Phil Hughes claimed a catch at ground level. But Cook stood his ground despite loud and sustained appeals from the Australians, and got the benefit of the doubt when video replays seemed to show the ball touching the grass millimetres before Hughes got his fingers under it.
He gave up another half chance on 87, when he edged a Shane Watson ball just short of Michael Clarke at second slip.
But otherwise, his 247-ball innings has been full of confident, well executed strokes and contained 12 boundaries.
AP